


Ornithology for Beginners

by dragon_temeraire



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Never Met, Alternate Universe - No Hale Fire, Birdwatching, College Student Stiles, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 17:35:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10972089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragon_temeraire/pseuds/dragon_temeraire
Summary: Stiles ends up sharing his bench with a handsome bird-watcher.





	Ornithology for Beginners

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Siriusstuff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siriusstuff/gifts).



> For Siriusstuff, who wanted #26 from [ this list](http://dragon-temeraire.tumblr.com/post/160035857151/send-me-a-ship-and-a-number-and-ill-write-a-short). Thank you for giving me the chance to talk about birds!

Stiles picks a bench near the pond, leans back and takes a deep breath. It’s a beautiful day, and he doesn’t have another final exam until Wednesday, so he’s just thrilled to be out of the library and into the sunshine.

He plans to just enjoy the day and relax, instead of worrying about the Chemistry test he’d finished a few minutes ago. A soft breeze ruffles his hair, and he tilts his head, enjoying the fresh air and the sweet scent of the nearby flowers.

He zones out a little, watching some other college kids play an energetic game of Frisbee, so he startles a little when someone says, “Do you mind if I sit here?”

And when Stiles glances over he ends up staring in surprise, because this guy is movie-star hot, though he’s looking at Stiles rather shyly. “Um, no,” his mouth finally says. “I don’t mind at all.” There’s plenty of room, after all.

It’s rude to stare, so Stiles works to tear his gaze from Devastatingly Handsome, and realizes that every other bench in the park is already occupied. He feels a little jolt of disappointment at that. He was hoping this guy had come over to, you know, _flirt_ with him.

Then he firmly reminds himself that he’s here to enjoy the _weather_ , not the scenery. So he turns back toward the pond, and tries to ignore Mr. Handsome, with his immaculate stubble-beard and his beautiful eyebrows.

And he manages to do it, right until Handsome makes a quiet sound and quickly pulls a pair of tiny binoculars out of his pocket. _What the heck?_ Stiles thinks, watching him peer through them with a small smile on his face.

He just has to say _something_. “See anything good?” he asks curiously. There’s a really cute dog playing on the other side of the pond, maybe that’s what the guy is looking at.

“There’s a Little Green Heron out there,” Handsome says eagerly, and Stiles just blinks at him.

Then he glances over at the pond and decides he’ll have to take Handsome’s word, because all the birds out there look the same, and there’s no way he could tell you whether one was a heron or not.

“Oh,” he says. “Is that good?”

Handsome shrugs his broad shoulders. “I just really like them, I think they’re beautiful. Do you want to see?” he asks, glancing over expectantly.

“Um, sure,” Stiles says, mostly because he doesn’t want to disappoint this gorgeous man.

“Look over by that big rock, near the edge of the waterline,” Handsome says, handing over his binoculars.

Stiles carefully takes them and does as he says. “Oh, wow. It really _is_ pretty.” The small bird has a lovely, shimmering deep green on its body, with a maroon sort of color on its head and neck. “Hey, what’s that white bird nearby?”

“A Snowy Egret,” is the prompt reply.

Stiles pulls the binoculars away, and hands them back with a smile. “Thanks for letting me use these, um?”

“Derek,” he supplies.

“Well, nice to meet you, Derek. I’m Stiles,” he says in return.

Derek nods, and doesn’t even seem to want to question Stiles’ name, unlike most of the people he meets.

“So, you like to come here to birdwatch?” he prompts, because he doesn’t want to sit here in silence.

“Yeah. I live in an apartment, so I wouldn’t get to see many otherwise,” Derek says.

Stiles nods, looking around the park again. And it sounds dumb, but he never noticed just _how many_ birds there were out here. He watches curiously as a little one hops past. “Hey, what’s that one?”

Derek glances down. “A House Finch,” he says immediately.

“What about that one?” Stiles asks, pointing to a small black bird with white speckles.

“A Starling,” Derek says, but this time he’s scowling.

It makes Stiles grin. “Don’t like those?” he asks teasingly.

“I don’t,” Derek says. “They’re not a native species, and they’re very invasive. The Purple Martin and Bluebird populations are in decline because Starlings steal their nesting spots.”

“Oh,” Stiles says, because that seems like a good reason to dislike them. “You really know a lot about birds.” He always appreciates it when other people have a lot of weirdly specific knowledge. It’s nice not to be the only one.

Derek shrugs, looking a little embarrassed. “I like them a lot. I grew up in a house in the woods, so I got used to seeing Cardinals and Jays and even Orioles. My mom let me put up some feeders when I was a kid, and I would sit and watch the birds for hours.”

“That’s really awesome, man,” Stiles says encouragingly. He likes the way Derek’s face lights up when he talks about birds. “Hey,” he says, suddenly getting an idea. “Do you want to check out a nest? You can tell me what bird made it.”

“Sure,” Derek says, smiling.

“It’s at my apartment building,” Stiles says. “It’s just a few blocks away. We can walk there, if that’s cool?”

“Of course,” Derek says. “Lead the way.”

 

*

 

The walk goes by quickly when he spends it talking to Derek, who knows a lot about all kinds of wildlife, and doesn’t seem to mind Stiles’ endless questions and commentary.

As he takes Derek up the three flights of stairs, he considers inviting him to his apartment, if only for a drink of water, or something. But then he remembers his mid-finals mess, with books and papers everywhere, and decides he’d better not.

He pushes open the door to the roof with a flourish. “Here we are,” he says brightly, and catches Derek eyeing him with amusement. Stiles can’t say he minds. “The nest is over there,” he adds, pointing to a spot under the eaves.

“Barn Swallow,” Derek says immediately, walking slowly closer. “They build these kind of mud nests.” He lets out a low whistle, then grins. “There’s already babies.”

Intrigued by Derek’s quiet excitement, Stiles cautiously walks over too. “How do you know?”

“Listen,” Derek says, then he whistles again.

This time, Stiles can hear the tiny answering peeps from the nest. It’s a very cute sound.

“Oh,” he says, delighted.

“Come on,” Derek says, lightly touching Stiles’ shoulder. “Let’s give it some space, I’m sure the parents will be back soon.”

They lean against the low wall at the edge of the roof, Derek watching the nest eagerly, and Stiles trying to work up his nerve.

But it turns out he doesn’t need to.

“I know this is kind of forward, but do you want to go out sometime?” Derek asks, giving him a nervous smile. “It doesn’t have to be a date involving birds,” he adds hastily.

“Hey, I’d be happy to go on any kind of date with you,” Stiles says, grinning. “And this _could_ be a date. I don’t bring just anyone up to the roof, you know,” he teases.

Just as he’d hoped, it makes Derek laugh. “Well, I’m honored,” he says. “Can I repay you by taking you to lunch?”

“Sounds like a fair trade,” Stiles says with a wink.

And though he tries to play it cool, he blushes when Derek leans in to kiss his cheek.

Stiles is pretty sure this is the best day ever.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come by and prompt me/talk to me [ on tumblr](http://dragon-temeraire.tumblr.com/).


End file.
